JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — Twelve people were killed after armed assailants launched a deadly attack on an informal settlement near Johannesburg late Tuesday night, according to South African police.
The incident occurred in the Jumpers settlement, a densely populated area of informal housing located near an abandoned gold mine east of Johannesburg. Authorities said a group of approximately 10 gunmen arrived in a vehicle before entering the settlement through different access points and opening fire on residents.
Police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi said preliminary investigations indicate that 12 people lost their lives during the attack. Eleven victims were pronounced dead at the scene, while another later succumbed to injuries in hospital.
Among those killed were eight men and three women, with the twelfth victim dying after receiving medical treatment.
Law enforcement officials have not yet established a motive, and no arrests had been made by Wednesday. However, investigators suspect the violence could be connected to disputes linked to illegal mining activities in the area.
Gauteng Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni said authorities were exploring possible links between the attack and competition surrounding mining operations, noting that the settlement is located close to both legal and illegal mining sites.
He described the killings as a brutal and senseless act that had shocked the community.
Illegal mining remains a major challenge in South Africa and is frequently associated with organised crime networks, extortion, violent turf wars and other criminal activities. Many of those involved, commonly known as *zama zamas*, operate in abandoned mine shafts in search of remaining gold deposits.
The latest incident adds to a series of deadly attacks linked to illegal mining disputes. In December last year, nine people were killed when gunmen opened fire at a tavern in Bekkersdal, another area affected by mining-related criminal activity.
South African authorities have intensified efforts to combat violent crime and illegal mining, including deploying soldiers to crime hotspots around Johannesburg earlier this year to support police operations. President Cyril Ramaphosa has previously described crime as one of the country’s most significant challenges.
